InfoWorld’s Open Source Business Conference Announces Keynote Speakers for May Event

March 8, 2007; 03:22 AM
InfoWorld, the leading integrated media brand for IT solutions management, announced the keynote lineup for the Open Source Business Conference (OSBC), the premier event for open source software and business, scheduled to be held May 22-23, 2007 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. OSBC is the industry’s only forum for senior business leaders, C-level technical strategists, lawyers and venture capitalists to collaborate on emerging business models, strategies and profitability for open source software use. The 2007 program focuses on current open source issues and opportunities, trends, products, services and legal content, as well as analyst insight into the world of open source business. Passes to attend InfoWorld's Open Source Business Conference are priced at $1,495, with early registration and group discounts available. Members of the press using promotional code OSBCPR are eligible for complimentary registration (subject to verification). To register, visit: http://www.osbc.com.

The 2007 OSBC program will provide content-rich sessions from well-known thought leaders and industry executives on how open source technology is being used. Featured keynotes include:

• Matthew J. Szulik - Chairman, CEO and President, Red Hat, Inc.
• Marc West - Senior Vice President and CIO, H&R Block
• Eben Moglen - General Counsel of the Freedom Law Center and Professor, Columbia Law School
• Rob Curley, Vice President, Product Development, Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive
• Märten Mickos - CEO, MySQL
• Lee Thompson, Vice President and Chief Technologist, E*TRADE Financial

“This year’s roster of keynotes and other speakers is unprecedented in its depth and breadth of open source acumen,” said Matt Asay, conference chair and vice president, business development for Alfresco. “We’ve never before had this range of open source IT experience, nor the experience in building the world’s most successful open source businesses. OSBC continues to be the place to learn how to thrive with open source, and never more so than this year.”

In addition to the featured keynotes, such companies as: AIG, Activision, Alfresco, Cleversafe, Hyperic, SugarCRM, WSO2 and Walmart.com will speak in the following topic tracks:

• What's Now - CIO issues, implementation strategies and cost savings, as well as ways to work with open source communities and get quality support
• What's Next - Open source business models, emerging issues (attribution, effective download conversion strategies), and other topics of interest to the rising tide of open source vendors
• What's Legal - How to take a proprietary product into the open, the mechanics of setting up an open source review board for enterprises, what GPLv3 means for the industry, and more
• Products and Services - Live demonstrations from leading open source solution providers

Current sponsors of OSBC include: Adaptive Planning, Akin Gump, Cooley Godward LLP, DLA Piper, EMC, EnterpriseDB, Fenwick & West LLP, Funambol, GlobalRoads, Goodwin Procter LLP, GroundWork Open Source, Inc., HRO, Intel, Jefferies & Company, Inc., Microsoft, MySQL, OpenLogic, Optaros, Oracle Corp., Pillsbury Winthrop LLP, The rSmart Group, Red Hat, SNAP, SugarCRM, Trolltech, Unisys, WSO2 and Zenoss Inc.

About InfoWorld Media Group

InfoWorld Media Group helps IT solutions management choose the right technology, within the context of a cohesive strategy, for business impact at their organizations. Rather than merely covering the enterprise technology market, InfoWorld identifies and promotes emerging technology segments that add unique value for the organizations that implement them, as well as the vendors that provide those solutions. Using an integrated communications approach including online, events, a weekly print publication, research, and a continued investment in an independent Test Center, InfoWorld analysts and editors provide both hands-on analysis and evaluation, as well as expert commentary on issues surrounding emerging technologies and products. Visit InfoWorld at http://www.infoworld.com.

About International Data Group (IDG)

International Data Group (IDG) is the world's leading technology media, events, and research company. IDG publishes more than 300 magazines and newspapers in 85 countries including CIO, CSO, Computerworld, GamePro, InfoWorld, Macworld, Network World, and PC World. IDG's online network includes more than 450 Web sites spanning business technology, consumer technology, digital entertainment and gaming worldwide. IDG's lead generation service, IDG Connect, matches technology companies with an audience of engaged, high-quality IT professionals, influencers, and decision makers.

IDG is a leading producer of more than 750 technology-related events including E for All Expo, LinuxWorld Conference & Expo, Macworld Conference & Expo, DEMO, and IDC Directions. IDC, a subsidiary of IDG, is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events. Over 850 IDC analysts in 50 countries provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends.

Additional information about IDG, a privately held company, is available at http://www.idg.com.